Donald's Story

My weight has been a problem most of my adult life. I was always a “little” heavy, or so I thought. People never really said I was obese, and the mantra was always “a little bit won’t hurt,” or “one time won’t kill you.” I have now learned these statements are false, and come mostly from people who themselves have similar issues, but do not want to change.

After studying with Dr. Fuhrman, and learning the real reasons behind addictive eating, I now feel comfortable and confident in myself. I no longer worry about heart disease, reflux disease, diabetes or cancer. Our household, growing up, was health-conscious, but the messages were confusing. 

We had a large family with six kids and none of us have ever smoked, even though our parents did. My father suffered from gout and later heart disease, and died young at 59.  My mother also died young, at the age of 57, from heart disease related to years of smoking. There was, however, much angst over my parents’ ill health and my poor diet.

 

We knew vegetables were important, but also relied heavily on meats, drank sugary soda and other elements of the SAD diet. We switched from butter to margarine, which is high in trans-fat, because we thought it was a healthier choice.  Snacking was a routine, and candy bars were an enjoyable, frequent treat. It is no wonder, then, that I became heavier over time. Worries over health and other day-to-day issues and overeating led me to develop a number of health issues: Sleep apnea, acid reflux disease and high blood pressure.

The apnea was treated with a C-Pap machine, and the reflux and blood pressure with drugs. I have learned that all of these treat symptoms and do not cure the underlying problems.  I even had surgery to correct the reflux issue, which is in itself a long and disturbing story.

Fast forward to the Dr. Fuhrman Detox and Weight loss Challenge. I began the challenge at 190 pounds, having previously been as heavy as 225 pounds.  I am 5 ft. 5 inches tall, so this was quite heavy. In the beginning, weight dropped off so fast that I got a little worried, but Dr. Fuhrman assisted, and I pressed on.  I am now at 138 pounds, with still a few more. I have lost a total of 52 pounds to date.

I had a physical only two months into the weight loss challenge, and the results were dramatic:  My cholesterol dropped from 241 to 142.  Triglycerides went from 241 to 125.  A1c was 5.2. It is stunning to see these results in such a short period of time. I no longer need the C-Pap, as my sleep apnea has completely disappeared. My blood pressure medicine has been cut in half, and I’m still weaning off of the rest of the meds.

People around me, while not ready to make the commitment, respect the choice of lifestyle I’ve made so I can travel and spend time with family. My total health is amazing. I love the kitchen and the Nutritarian dishes. It’s an amazing feeling to be actually hungry at mealtimes, and the pressures of worrying about health and disease are gone.

I’ll be turning 68 in 2 months and look forward to the next 30 years or more.